Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-04-04

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his start in life. His brother, who was
small farmer. had a quantity of un>
disposed of cider on hand, which he gave
to his son, to use in anymanner he might
think best. The young man loaded the
cider on fiat boat and floated 1t down TO
st. Louis, where he traded it for mems
| clothes, provisions, etc, which he took
back to Piqua, where he established a
clothing and provision store on the canal.
Here he thriyed until 1888. when he
removed his stock to Tullv, Lewis
county near Canton, Mo-. where
he carried on a pork packing
business in connection with his
mercantile pursuit, He packed all the pork
he could get, and rapidly became wealthy.
In 1S49 his first wife whom he had mar
ried in Ohio died. and the next wear,
1850. Mr.. Harper closed out his business
at Tully and came
TO ROCK ISLAND
with SIS. 900. Here he entered the pork
packing business again and amassed great
riches. and in 1S55 he became the owner
OF the Rock Island gas works. which he
controlled for twenty years. adding TO
his fortune in the meantime. Late
in the Cos Mr.. Harper purchased the
Island City hotel, located where the
Harper house stands; reconstructins il
and changing The name to the Rodman
house. The building burned down, how>
ever before the plasterers were through.
and Mr.. Harper lost heavily, the insur>
ance no: covering the cost of improves
ments. But the public spirited citizen
was not discouraged and clearing away
The debris, he erected, in 1870 the stately
structure which now ornaments the site.
and stands as monument 10 the ge0er> |,
BUS protector. 1t was one of the best
hotels in the west, and AS a mark of their
appreciation of it, the citizens of Rock
STAND presented Mr.. Harper with $500
piano aud $500 silver pitcher. The
house was brilliantly opened February % ,
-WashiDgton's birthday-fS1l. and :
while the institution is one in which our
ltizens have always taken much pride, E
has proven successful investment to =
lr. Harper Realizing the ciiys need of
theatre, Mr.. Harper erected Harpers
heatre in 1878, and 10 which be gave his
ersonal attention in connection with his
Their enterprises until year and half
go, when he leased it to c. c. knell.
TX months ago, he transferred his hotel
D the management of his s0n-in-
wv, Mr.. II. J. LOwrcY, and since that d
me, he has given no attention TO bus u
less affairs. Mr.. Harper built more 1t
ouses in Rock Island during his day 8
ian any other one man. He erected
lie handsome structure on Moline ave- d'
ue, which was afterward bought by y
lilo Lee. and is now occupied BY that gen. is
eman, and then he built, and afterward la
I'D to Mr.. John Warner, the house he
,cupies now on Moline avenue. Later
r. Harper built the elegant mansion at ed
e head of Eighteenth street, where he in
'ent the closing days os his life. He in
Tilt up the entire block surrounded by ar
ineteenth and Twentieth streets and M
fifth and Sixth avenues, aud numerous or
her buildings all over town. His ins
stments
IN PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS
hocK Island amounted to hundreds of w,
OF dollars, the Harper house tn
one being but up at cost of 800. 600. re
On April l. 1851. Mr. Harper was unit> TO
ID marriage the second lime to Miss ~
Iizabeth Perkins, of Moline. who sur tir
yes her husband with the following CO
lldren, whose names are given in the Is
der of their age: Mrs Il. ]. Lowrey of n na
is city. Mrs. II. ". Dusinbcrre. of Ra
.rned, Kansas, and Thomas r..
uart and Fay at home. Ben. Harper.
:, died four years ago. He leaves ~,
ter, Mrs. Underhill, of Columbus
ito, and a brother, A. R., formerly of
is city, but now in the southern part of II
state. Mr.. Harper was during all bis an,
: in Rock Island, an intimate, personal hui
d confidential friend of Capt. T. ]. ne'
binson. Mr. Harper's fortune is esti. e's
ted at from $500, 600 TO half million. cor
sldes his city property, he had invest,
largely in Chicago real estate of late. i
he also had investments in govern. ~ W.
L. L. 4 L